Fan attachment.



PATENTED SEPT. 24, 1907.

"M.-J. MURDOGH'.

FAN ATTACHMENT. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 81, 1900.

UNITED sTA'rEs P/rrnnr curios.

MICHAEL J. MURDOOH, OF YoUNosrou N, onio, AssIeNoR or ONE-THIRD To JOHN J. GORMAN AND ONE-THIRD TO HARRY A. ERNST, or YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO.

FAN ATTACHMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 24, 1907.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MICHAEL J. MURDOCH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Youngstown, in the county of Mahoning and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fan Attachments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that type of mechanically operated fans designed as an attachment for rocking chairs whereby the motion of the chair may be utilized as a means for causing the automatic operation of the fan. to create an artificial breeze.

To this end the invention contemplates a simple and practical construction of fan attachment which may be adjustably fitted to the ordinary rocking chairs in every day use, while at the same time comprising simple and practical means which permit the occupant of the chair to utilize the rocking motion for the purpose of effectually fanning himself or herself without extra exertion or effort other than that of rocking the chair. In this connection the invention possesses special utility as an artificial air agitating device for keeping the idler or worker free from the annoyance of flies or other insects which are prevalent in the summer season.

Also the invention contemplates a form of fan attachment which can be easily and readily thrown in and out of use at the option of the occupant of the chair.

With these and other objects in view, which will more readily appear to those familiar with the art, the same consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated and claimed.

The essential features of the invention involved in the manner of mounting the fan and the actuating means therefor, are necessarily susceptible to structural change without departing from the scope of the invention, but a preferred embodiment thereof is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fan attachment constructed in accordance with this invention and shown in its operative position as applied to a rocking chairf Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the rear portion of the rocking chair, below the plane of the seat, showing in plan the form and mounting of the primary spring-actuator for the fan element. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailed view of the actuating spring-arm of the 1 adapted to be attached to the rocking chair so as to be rigid therewith. A simple and practical expedient for mounting the supporting standards 1 is shown in the drawings and consists in associating with each standard a holder 2 screwed or otherwise suitably fastened to the back 3 of a rocking chair 4 and provided with a keeper socket 5 adapted to adjustably receive the shank of the standard therein, said keeper socket being fitted with a set screw 6 for holding the standard fast after having been properly adjusted.

In the application of the invention shown in the drawings, the holders 2 are illustrated as being arranged upon the rear side of the rocker back 3 near the top edge of the latter, thereby affording a convenient point of support for the two standards which are sufficiently long to permit of material adjustment vertically so that the fan attachment can be readily adapted to persons of all sizes, and the fan or fan element propercan be arranged to work in as close proximity to a persons head as may be desired.

It is preferable to arrange the oppositely located supporting standards 1 in parallel relation and also to provide said standards with upper forwardly 'deflected end portions 7 having at their terminals suitable bearings 8 in which are journaled the opposite spindle ends of the horizontally arranged fan axle 9. The fan axle 9 is mounted in the bearings 8 so as to be perfectly free for rotation or oscillation, and the same has suitably secured thereto the fan element or fan proper, designated in its entirety by the number 10. The fan element or fan proper 10 may be of any desired shape or size so long as the same is properly fastened to the axle 9 in such a manner as to be forcibly reciprocated through the air as the axle 9 rotates or oscillates according as a full or partial rotation is imparted to said axle. While the fan proper or fan element 10 may be of any size, a simple and practical construction is shown in the drawings, the same consisting of an arched covered frame 11 projecting equal distances to both sides of the fan axle 9 and provided along its side and end edges with a multiplicity of freely pendent tassels or fanning members 12 which assist materially in the creation of the artificial air currents.

In the construction shown, the fan axle 9 has mounted on its spindle ends or extremities the oppositely located driving pulleys 13 and 14, which respectively have connected therewith the opposite reversely reciprocating operating tapes 15 and 16, the tape 15 winding and unwinding on its pulley 13 in the reverse or opposite direction from the winding and unwinding of the tape 16 on its pulley 14, said tapes being designed to be alternately'brought into action as the rocking chair swings forward or backward.

The holding tape 15 is designed to be adjustably -tension arm 21.

connected at its lower end to the yielding actuating spring-arm 17 of what may be termed the primary spring actuator. This adjustable connection for the tape 15 may consist of any suitable mechanical expedient such for instance as a clevis loop 18 carried by the tape 15 and adjustably engaging a plurality of retaining notches 19 providedin the arm 17 This shiftable connection between the tape 15 and the arm 17 is for the purpose of varying the leverage of said arm with reference to the tape 15, and hence, providing means for increasing or decreasing the stroke of the fan through the action of the said tape 15.

The primary actuator, of which the actuating springarm 17 forms a part, essentially consists of a spring wire frame off an approximate U-shape and having a transverse shaft portion 20 and the opposite arm portions 17 and 21 respectively. The shaft portion 20 of the spring wire frame is arranged transversely of the rockers R of the rocking chair and is journaled in suit able bearing keepers 22 on said rockers. whereby the arms 17 and 21 will be arranged along side of the opposite rockers respectively.

The arm 17 carries at its free end a contact roller 23 adapted to engage the floor, while the opposite arm 2l of the frame constitutes a tension arm and is provided With a holding hook or equivalent device 24 adapted to engage or interlock with the adjacent rocker Rte provide means for holding the spring wire frame locked under tension on the rockers back of the rear legs of the chair frame.

. There is associated with the spring wire frame, constituting the primary actuator, a secondary actuator consistingof a coiled retractile spring 25 connected at one end. as at 26, to the operating tape 1.6 and having its other end, as at 27 shiftably engaging the fixed The shiftable end 27 may be held at any point of adjustment on the arm 21, providing the latter, with retaining notches 28 similar to those on the other arm 17.

When it is not desired to use the attachment, it is simply necessary to depress the arm 21 sufficiently to swing the holding hook 24 out of engagement with the chair rocker, whereupon the stretched spring 25 Will draw the spring wire frame to an inoperative position at the back of the chair. When it is desired to operatively position the parts of the attachment, the spring wire frame is moved to the position shown in Fig: l of the drawings and there secured by the hook 24.

With the parts in operative position when the occupant of the .chair rocks in a backward direction, the contact of theroller 23 will cause the normally depressed spring-arm 17 to yield in a direction for relaxing the tension or strain upon the tape 15, thereby permitting the spring 25 to draw upon the tape 16 and turn the fan axle in one direction. Then on the opposite mo tion, that is as the chair is rocked forward, the spring tension of the frame 17 will be exerted upon the pull tape 15, and as that tension is superior to the strength From the foregoing it is thought that the eonstruction, operation and advantages of the herein described fan attachment, will be apparent. without further description.

I claim:

1. A fan attachment for rocking chairs. comprising" a suitably supported fan carrying axle. and separate rc- W" 1 operating actuating. springs connected with the s. id axle and comprising means for respectively turning the same in opposite directions, one of said springs being, carried by the other. and the tension of each of said sprin rs being alternately tightened and relaxed through the movement of the chair.

2. A fan attachment comprising a suitably supported fan carrying axle. and separate actuatingsprings curried by a chair and operatively connected with the axle to provide for respectively turning the same in opposite directions. one of said springs being" superior in strength to the other.

A fan attachment comprising a suitably supported fan axle carrying driving pulleys. reversely reciprocating tapes respectively connected with the separate pulleys. a primary spring actuator mounted on the chair and connected with one of the tapes. and a secondary spring carried by said primary actuator and connected with the other of said tapes.

4. In .a fan attachment of the class described. lho con1- bination with a rocking chair..of a fun axle supported above the chair and carrying driving pulleys. revcrscly reciprocating tapes respectively connected with the opposite pulleys. a primary actuating springairm mounted on the chair rockers and having a connection with one tape. and a secondary coiled retracting spring also having :1 point of support from the chair rockers and connected with the other tape. one of said spring elements being of superior strength to the other.

In a fan attachment. the combination with a rocking chair. of a fan carrying nxlc supported above the chair, reversely reciprocating tapes opcrativcly connected with the fan carrying axle. a spring wire frame hinged upon the chair rockers and having an actuating sprin arm connected with one of the tapes. a holding" connection for securing the spring frame to the rockers under tension. and a retractile spring; connected with the other tape and also with said spring frame. said retrnctilc spring: serving to draw the frame to an inoperative position when released from its operating position.

6. In a tan attachment. the combination with a rocking; chair. of a fan carrying axle supported above the rocking chair and provided with driving pulleys. revcrsely reciprocating tapes windings; and unwinding in opposite direc tions respectively upon the separate pulleys. :1 spring frame hinged upon the chair rockers and provided with a free actuating spring-arm carrying a contact roller and also provided with a tension arm having operating means for engagement with a rocker, said actuating spring-arm having an adiustablc connection with one tape and u retractile spring having a connection with the other tape and also adjust-ably connected with the tension arm of said spring frame. I

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MICHAEL J. MIIUJOCH. Witnesses W. H. Wirirnsinn. hIAY Ownx. 

